The Avengers: Crimson Queen
by MistressofSeven77
Summary: For reasons unknown, Thor and Loki are forced into the Grid. The two brothers are forced to work together, meeting old friends as they struggle. Together, they fight the against the tyrant that rules the Grid-the Crimson Queen, a rogue User. However, the true agenda of the User is truly something else. The Grid is only the beginning. Now, all the Nine Realms are in danger...
1. Chapter 1: Welcome To The Grid

**Author's Note: Cover image was found on Tumblr, thus making it impossible to truly track. If the creator does not want me using their image as the cover for my story, then I will take the image down. **

**Another thing-I will occasionally put in suggestions for songs to listen to while reading to help create the effect of the story. It's your call whether or not you choose to listen to the song. Enjoy the fic!**

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><p>Chapter 1: Welcome to the Grid<p>

_Where in the Nine Realms am I?_

A figure opened his eyes, and looked around. He saw that he was being brought down on some sort of platform, and that he was held to it by a set of clear objects binding his feet. His staff was gone, and he was without the full extent of his armor. He was bound and gagged.

_What is this place? _

As the platform seemingly locked into place, he observed that the room was almost entirely grey and dark. He soon heard a series of strange noises-one that he could not describe, then a series of clicks, and then what sounded like metal coming closer. He turned his attention to what he thought were just oddly-patterned white lights, but as the sounds came closer, four Midgardian woman figures revealed themselves. They looked practically identical, and their movements were synchronized. They stopped very close to him, surrounding him on all four corners. This made him feel a bit awkward.

"Begin arming process."

Two of the four suddenly had their pointer fingers ignite, cutting his chains and gag, but they soon cut lines into his clothes. The other two proceeded to strip him down to his undergarments. He screeched when his clothes were taken away from him.

"You imbeciles! Give my garments back to me-what sorcery is this?!"

Out of nowhere, a black suit materialized on him. The women turned and moved towards the walls, which opened and revealed an array of what he could only assume was some sort of armor.

"He's different."

They returned to his side, and slammed it on to him, without caring that he wasn't just some weapon or tool. His eyes widened as, suddenly, lines on the suit actually lit up a bright green. A strange version of his staff was shoved into his hand-the core was still blue, but it was black with green lights in it. He then heard yet another strange noise, one he wasn't sure what it was.

"_ATTENTION PROGRAM. YOU WILL RECEIVE AN IDENTITY DISC." _

One of the four women walked over towards the rising rectangular structure that held some sort of ring that had glowing green external and internal borders.

"_EVERYTHING YOU DO OR LEARN WILL BE IMPRINTED ON THIS DISC. IF YOU LOSE YOUR DISC OR FAIL TO FOLLOW COMMANDS, YOU WILL BE SUBJECT TO IMMEDIATE DERESOLUTION." _

By now, the woman had returned, handing what he assumed to be called an "Identity Disc" to her companion. It was passed to yet another until one of the two behind him was holding it. With a nod, he felt it being forcefully placed on and locked into his back. He heard a series of noises, and felt a strange pulse for a moment.

"Marrying complete. Disc activated and synchronized. Proceed to Games."

He raised an eyebrow.

"Games?"

The women seemingly disappeared into the walls with another series of clicks and the strange noises. He turned to look at the only one that hadn't seemingly gone to sleep.

"And just what am I supposed to do during these games, you mewling quim?"

"Survive."

His eyes widened, and before he could demand answers, she fell into what he assumed was a deep slumber. A massive door in front of him opened, causing a powerful gust of wind to come rushing in and a blinding light to follow suit, forcing him to shield his eyes. After a bit, the wind calmed and the light faded, revealing a strange pathway made of strange shapes, shades of blue, and white lights. Seeing no other way, he walked forward.

"Survive… I've been doing that for many years, you fools. This will be mere child's play."

He stepped out of the room he was in, unaware of what fate had in store…

* * *

><p><em>What is Odin's name is this place? <em>

A man looked around, noticing that he was being brought down on a strange platform. A set of clear objects bound his feet. His weapon was gone, which disturbed him. His armor was gone, but that was of no disturbance to him-he had changed to his civilian form upon winning a battle. The platform locked into place, and then he heard a series of noises-ones that his beloved had described to him as "beeping", followed by clicking. He then noticed a series of white lights, in a pattern of which his mate had described to him as "cybernetic" and the shade of which she described as "neon". He heard things getting closer to him, and saw that the light patterns were actually on the suits of what looked like four Midgardian women, but he was certain that they were not ordinary Midgardian women.

"Can any of you tell me what in the Nine Realms is going on here-"

"Begin arming process."

He raised an eyebrow.

"Arming process? What in the name of-what do you think you are doing to me?! Do not touch me-No!"

Two of the four women proceeded to reveal that their pointer fingers had what he assumed to be some variety of the "laser cutter" that he had been somewhat educated about inside them, and they used it to cut lines in his clothes. The other two proceeded to rip them off, leaving him in a most embarrassing state-nothing more than his underwear. He flushed, and looked around nervously. The women watched as a strange black suit materialized on him. As it materialized, he was a bit awestruck, but also worried.

"This cannot be a good omen…'

The women, in perfect synchronicity, proceeded to turn away from him, and walk over to the walls of the dark room he was currently trapped in. Small sections opened, revealing a variety of what he assumed to be a strange armor. They picked it up, and slammed it on him. One of the women proceeded to give him a strange version of his hammer-the emblems on both sides were now aglow with "neon" red light patterns, the etching on the ends was also aglow with matching light patterns, and the spiral line that went along the handle was shining with the same unholy red light. He stared at it in shock.

"What sorcery is this?! What have you done to my Mjolnir-"

He then was cut off by a series of "whirring" noises, and he watched as a strange rectangular object arose out of the ground. Inside it was a strange object, something he had never seen before. One of the women turned around, and went to retrieve the object.

"_ATTENTION PROGRAM. YOU WILL RECEIVE AN IDENTITY DISC." _

The woman returned with the "Identity Disc, and handed it to one of her comrades.

"_EVERYTHING YOU DO OR LEARN WILL BE IMPRINTED ON THIS DISC. IF YOU LOSE YOUR DISC OR FAIL TO FOLLOW COMMANDS, YOU WILL BE SUBJECT TO IMMEDIATE DERESOLUTION." _

His eyes widened. Was "deresolution" the term used to describe killing others? The term for death in this realm?

The woman handed the "Identity Disc" to another one of her comrades, behind him. He felt it being shoved onto his back, and turned slightly, locking it into place. He heard a series of "beeping" noises, and felt a strange pulse.

"Marrying complete. Disc activated and synchronized. Proceed to Games."

His eyes widened again.

"Games?"

He saw the women begin to walk backwards.

"Where are you going? Wait!"

Three of them disappeared, seemingly entering a dormant state. The fourth one stopped just as she was about to enter her sleeping pod.

"What am I supposed to do in these 'Games' you speak of?"

"Survive."

She joined her companions, entering dormancy. He was shocked. The clear objects holding him to the platform suddenly went into the platform, freeing him. He took a few steps back, regaining his balance. The doors in front of him opened, causing a powerful gust of wind to rush in and a blinding light to follow suit.

"Just what is so wrong with this realm that there is something called the 'Games' in which the objective is that you are supposed to _survive?"_

The light dimmed and the wind faded, and he just stared for a moment at the strange road ahead of him. He looked around, and saw no other way out.

"I have no choice, it seems… Forgive me, Father…"

He walked forward, certain that there would be many tough battles ahead of him…


	2. Chapter 2: Savage War

Chapter 2: Savage War

Both of the men were currently standing in separate, isolated cells, completely unaware of the other's existence.

"I will escape, just you wait…"

"I hope that I will not have to kill…"

It soon arrived at its intended destination-a strange-looking arena. Both of the men were let out, along with several other programs. They looked at each other in shock.

"Brother, is that you?!"

"Oh, look how the mighty have fallen…"

There was no doubt about it in his mind. In a suit with "neon" green lights all through it, was his brother, Loki. His staff had been modified, probably to be more suited for combat in this strange realm. And there was no doubt in Loki's mind that in the suit with the strange red lights that it was his oaf of a brother, Thor. His hammer had a slightly different appearance, more suited to this strange realm. The two brothers could not believe that _both_ of them were trapped in this strange place.

They didn't have much time to contemplate this, as, suddenly, they were attacked. Thor was grateful that Mjolnir retained its abilities even in this strange realm. For the most part, Loki's "magic" had the same effects, but both of them knew that it wasn't truly magic in this realm. There was no magic… just lots of strange beings and this savage war they called "the Games". Although Loki was more concerned with staying alive (how could he fulfill his self-proclaimed "glorious purpose" if he was dead?), Thor was truly horrified at what was going on… and what he was being forced to do in order to survive.

"Brother." Thor said, getting Loki's attention. The trickster God hissed.

"What do you _want?_ We can't just stop fighting, or we will be killed at the hands of these lowly fools!" Loki hissed, glaring at his brother.

"But if we work together, we might be able to end this quicker, and escape. Certainly you do not want to remain within this strange realm, do you?"

Loki smirked.

"That is most certainly true, brother… Hmph. Fine. Then we shall call a truce for now. I believe that my magic will be more effective from afar, so you just go about your usual destructive affairs with that hammer of yours."

Thor rolled his eyes, sighed, but went with it. Loki _was_ smart, but very rude and arrogant. Deciding to confront his brother about it later, he spun Mjolnir around, gathering a torrent of wind and using it to blast the group coming after them. Loki covered him with bursts of magic. Thor sprinted forward, swinging his hammer mournfully at poor Program after Program, derezzing them in rapid succession.

It dragged on, and, unknown to the brothers, they were being watched by a mysterious female figure. Her Grid Suit was clearly more feminine, yet regal. She had a helmet over her face, and ominous neon red-orange lines running through her suit. She rested her head on her hand, watching the Games. A personal attendant came to her, bringing her a glass of wine and fine food.

"Does something interest you, my Queen?"

"I don't think I've seen a session of the Games this amusing before."

She focused on Loki and Thor.

"The two Princes of Asgard. Loki, the God of Mischief and Lies, known for being a skilled magic-user and a master illusionist. Thor, the God of Thunder, known for his trademark hammer, Mjolnir and warrior's pride. I was right. These two make _fascinating _competitors in the Games."

"You are always right, my Queen."

"Hmm… I wonder something…"

She thought for a moment.

"Bring those two into the Lightcycle Races. Let us see how they fare there. I'm certain it will be most amusing…"

"Of course, my Queen."

The attendant bowed, and left. The focus returned to Thor and Loki, who had just finished off another round of Programs. They watched as a ship descended, and a small section of guards walked out, all clad in matching skin-tight black suits, with red-orange neon lights, and shiny black helmets with identical red-orange neon lighting, holding black sticks with the same freakish lighting. Amongst them was one slightly-unique figure-the mysterious guard who had just finished a conversation earlier with his "Queen". You could actually see his head, for what it was worth. It was pale, with black hair, eyes set darkly and deeply in his head. He walked forward, in front of the brothers.

"Greetings, my fellow Programs!" He began. The crowd seemed to respond with an enthusiastic reply.

"You have remained loyal to our rightful ruler!" He continued.

Loki sneered.

_I am the rightful ruler, you foolish mortal!_ He thought, but chose to be smart and hold his tongue.

"And you have been rewarded with ever-growing prosperity!"

Thor had to admit that, for what little he knew about this realm, its residents _did_ seem to be thriving. But he had his suspicions…

"Today, though some were lost, your loyalty was rewarded with the most exciting session of the Games yet, for we have not just _any_ Users…"

_Users? What in the Nine Realms is a "User"?_ Thor thought as the dark-haired guard motioned to the two princes.

"But the two Princes of Asgard, Loki Laufeyson-"

He motioned at the God of Mischief and Lies, who hissed at hearing his last name proclaimed to a bunch of strangers.

"And Thor Odinson!"

He motioned to the God of Thunder, who took a step back. He was _not_ comfortable around this pale, dark-haired figure. No, most certainly not.

"They have fought well in the Pixel Wars, have they not?"

The crowd roared. The man seemed to smile sadistically, raising his arms.

"It is obvious that the Pixel Wars are not enough of a challenge for our guests of honor! They have earned the right to compete in the ultimate challenge... _THE LIGHTCYCLE RACES!" _

The crowd cheered as loudly and as rambunctiously as possible, encouraged only more by the mysterious man. Thor and Loki were both confused.

"What in the Nine Realms are 'The Lightcycle Races', brother?" Thor whispered.

"How should I know?!" Loki hissed.


	3. Chapter 3: Lightcycle Races

Chapter 3: Lightcycle Races

Two of the guards stepped forwards, cued by the man who had incited the crowd. One turned to face Loki, the other turned to face Thor. They each held a box, and opened it. Loki's intrigue and Thor's curiosity led them to remove the strange black sticks within. Loki just looked at the device, whereas Thor immediately tightened his grip on it, and began waving it around.

"So, what am I supposed to do with this?" Thor asked, waving it around. Everyone just stared.

"I'll give you a hint. Not that." The man said dryly, clearly disgusted by Thor's antics. He nodded towards a small group of guards (four others), who forced three other programs to join Thor and Loki. The programs were a refreshing sight for the two princes, as they had neon blue lighting in their suits versus the guards' red-orange. Thor and Loki watched intently as the guards ran forward, pulled out sticks of their own, and pulled them apart a bit.

The princes stared in rapt fascination as a strange mode of transportation materialized out of thin air. The guards were clearly well-versed in it, speeding around on the glowing transportation. The programs assigned to aid Thor and Loki panicked.

"You two don't stand a chance, Users! Their bikes are faster than ours! Use the Levels if you want to get out alive!" One of the programs said, as the three mounted their own. Loki watched for a moment to see how the "Levels" worked, forming a strategy whilst barring Thor. He smirked when he had it.

"Brother, I will magically link our minds, and tell you my plan of victory that way so that our enemies cannot hear us. Do you understand?" Loki whispered. Thor growled a bit.

"You may only link our minds, brother. Nothing more." He agreed reluctantly. Loki chuckled.

"Of course, dear brother." Loki said, smirking. Thor bit his lip as he felt Loki's presence enter his mind, linking him with the trickster god.

_Now, listen closely. We will mount these strange glowing things, and use the trail of light they emit to destroy those that the enemy uses. We will then let the lowly mortals handle the enemy, and escape by blasting a hole in the side wall! _

Thor looked at Loki.

_How do you plan on using the trails of light to destroy their mounts?! _

Loki clapped Thor on the back.

_Simple. I will make clones of myself, and they will lure the guards apart. Then, you and I will pick them off, one by one. Surely you have seen how it all works? _

Thor relented.

_I pray your tricks work, Loki, or else it will be our undoing! _

Loki rolled his eyes.

_Do you think me a fool, Thor? I know that! Now, let us get on with this! Mount your "Lightcycle", you idiot!_

Loki ran forward, and mounted his Lightcycle with ease. Thor soon followed suit. Although it took the two princes a few minutes to figure out how to pilot the cybernetic mounts, they soon mastered it… but Thor soon saw a problem with Loki's plan.

By the time they'd figured out how to pilot the "Lightcycles", their forced allies were _gone. _Not a trace of them remained. He took a deep breath.

_Loki, there is a problem-_

_I am not blind! It is a small problem! We will simply kill the enemy ourselves! _

Thor closed his eyes for a moment. He hated having to kill unnecessarily, but this was clearly a world of "kill-or-be-killed", and he had no intention of dying.

Loki began to make his duplicates, but he was soon cut off before a single solid one was made. Although he managed to hold onto the stick, he was sent flying, and skidded violently across the floor. He spat a bit of blood, and glared at the guards before passing out. This did not go unnoticed by Thor. He slammed the accelerator down, and sped towards the green-clad trickster.

"LOKI!" He screamed, grabbing him and speeding off. He shifted Loki onto his back. He felt their magical link fade as Loki had lost consciousness, and now, Thor was running for their lives. He darted around, trying desperately to find a way to escape whilst keeping his dear brother safe.

He looked in horror as one of the guards was about to jump in front of him. He would have no time react. He closed his eyes and prepared to shield Loki-

_BOOM!_

He suddenly opened his eyes to find the guard and Lightcycle falling to red-orange bits around him. He looked around in confusion, and saw a larger mode of transportation off to the side, clearly armed and the reason why they were still alive. A side door was propped up. Somehow, in the process, his Lightcycle had reverted back to stick form. However, he soon heard a wailing sound, like the "computers" when something was going wrong with them.

"_ILLEGAL COMBATANT ON THE GRID. ILLEGAL COMBATANT ON THE GRID." _A robotic, feminine, voice proclaimed.

"Get in." The driver of the vehicle said. Thor turned his head. The voice was clearly being modified, as it sounded robotic, but he could not help but wonder if he'd heard it before...

"GET IN!" The driver stressed. Thor nodded, placed Loki in the back seat, and sat down in the front passenger seat. Seatbelts materialized over them as the door closed, and the driver turned sharply. He sped towards the hole he'd blown in the side wall. The man hissed.

"Her Highness will not let you get away with this, traitor…" He swore underneath his breath.

"Who are you?!" Thor demanded.

"Hang on!" The driver said, gunning the engine.

"_SYSTEM FAILURE. RELEASE CRIMSON FLASH." _

Thor didn't like the sound of that. He knew that when there was a "System Failure" with Midgardian technology, the results were _always_ disastrous. He turned, and saw that they were being followed by two guards… and… was that a _woman?_


	4. Chapter 4: Unexpected Savior

Chapter 4: The Unexpected Savior

Thor turned back around, and was pressed against the back of his seat by the forces involved from the high-speed driving. He looked towards the driver.

"We are being followed!" He exclaimed.

"I know!" The driver snapped. He pressed a button, and two small bombs deployed, destroying the Lightcycles of the trio. Though the two guards were forced to resume their pursuit on foot, the woman pulled out a second stick, and simply made another Lightcycle. He responded by pressing another button, firing small rockets that instantly derezzed the two guards. The woman was not fazed. Thor was watching the whole time.

_She must be the Crimson Flash… Such incredible tenacity… _He thought. He then turned to see the darkness ahead. His eyes widened as the driver continued to speed towards it.

"Are you MAD?! You cannot hope to cross that chasm!" Thor exclaimed. The driver responded by shifting the stick in the center of the vehicle, causing the wheels to change. Thor watched in horror as he leapt… and they safely landed on a rougher terrain. The landing was rough, and jarred Loki awake. Thor looked around, and realized that they were all still alive.

"Made it." The driver quipped. Thor narrowed his eyes at the driver. It was then that the driver's helmet dematerialized… revealing a familiar light-haired, hazel-eyed face. He smiled at Thor. Loki smirked from behind.

"It's been a while, Agent Barton." He said slyly. He glared at Loki for a moment, before deciding that Loki's past transgressions weren't important at the moment.

"Yea. Figures that our reunion is me saving your asses from the Games from Hell!" He exclaimed. Thor looked at him in shock.

"How did you know-"

"I see better from a distance. I saw you two in trouble. Personally, I couldn't have cared less about Loki back there, but you're an Avenger, Thor, amongst other things. I would've gotten into a lot of trouble if I _didn't_ save your ass." Clint explained. Thor turned around, and his eyes widened. He turned to look at his friend.

"The enemy has given up their pursuit of us!" He announced.

"Heh. Not by choice. Their vehicles aren't designed to go off the primary Grid. They'll malfunction out here." Clint explained, chuckling.

"And our mode of transportation?" Loki asked nervously.

"Hehe! What do you think, Green-and-Gold?" Clint joked. Just then, they pulled up to an isolated building that was well-concealed. Loki had to admit, it was a job well done. He was proud.

Clint parked the car, and turned it off. The seatbelts dematerialized. Clint got himself out, and, reluctantly, Loki allowed Thor to pick him up out of the backseat. However, he was adamant that he could walk from then onwards. Thor stood at his side, ready to catch him. Clint led them up a small set of stairs into a small room.

The room was aglow. Neon white, glowing tiles lit up the floor. Slate grey walls surrounded any occupants on three sides. There was a door off to the side, of which the Thunder God could only assume led to Clint's chambers in this world. A table was off to a side, with floor mats. A small computer was embedded in the back wall. A massive window allowed one to see the rest of the realm. Thor smiled.

_Not unlike Heimdall's Observatory…._ He noted.

"That was a risky move you made, Hawkeye."

Thor's attention diverted for a moment to the man sitting on his heels, in a calm, meditating position. He stood up, and smiled.

"But I see that it was well worth the risk."

The man before Thor smiled warmly at him. His skin was an oddly pale color, but the neon blue lighting in his armor was a bit of a relief. He walked over to Thor, and offered out his hand.

"It's good to see both you and your brother alive and well, Thor." He said kindly. Loki was taken aback by his warmness.

"Who are you, mortal? How do you know of us?" Loki demanded.

"Oh, excuse me, where are my manners? I'm Tron, a program created by the original creator of the Grid, Kevin Flynn."

Thor raised an eyebrow. He remembered that some of his Midgardian companions had taught him about programs, and Loki remembered that during the time he controlled Clint, the archer's brain had quite a bit of knowledge regarding programs. But none of them were sentient like this "Tron" that stood before them.

"I know that you probably have a lot of questions, but I can't answer all of them. There just isn't enough time, sadly." Tron admitted.

"...Previous events on Midgard have enlightened us on what programs are…" Loki began.

"...But none as sentient as you… 'Tron'." Thor finished. Tron smiled again.

"Good, good! Then that makes my life easier." He said, nodding his head.

"Agent Barton?" Loki wondered, seeing Clint about to head out.

"Hawkeye, what do you think you're doing?!" Tron demanded.

"...They released the Crimson Flash when I saved Thor and Loki. I saw the way she fought, and I have my suspicions." Clint said.

"You idiot! It's too dangerous! The Crimson Flash is their last resort, and a skilled User at that!" Tron scolded.

"Which is why _I have to do something!"_ Clint snapped.

"You want to go out there, reckless, without a plan, and get yourself killed before you get a chance to see your girlfriend again-be my guest!" Tron exclaimed. Clint hesitated.

"I know that you miss her, and you want to find her, but the time isn't now, Hawkeye!" Tron continued. Hawkeye looked down. He walked over to Clint.

"Look, kiddo. We'll find her, free the Grid, and you all can go back home. But we've gotta wait for the time to be right." He assured.

"I know. It's just... I feel so powerless, not being able to do anything but sit and wait! It just feels _wrong!"_ Clint admitted.

"Agent Barton, you know as well as I that charging in right now would be a fool's endeavor. Even my oaf of a brother knows to wait." Loki said.

"Loki… But he is right. We must be patient." Thor added. Clint sighed, and went to sit down on a floor mat, resting his bow and taking off his quiver. Thor and Loki soon joined him, and Tron was not long after.

"Hey, kiddo. Why don't you go do your thing and perch yourself on the roof like you always do? Maybe then you'll spot that golden opportunity that we've been waiting for." Tron suggested. Clint smiled and stood up. He grabbed his quiver and put it on his back. He then grabbed his bow, and ran up to the rooftop, perching himself at the edge. Tron smiled.

"Now, we wait and see what happens next." He said to no one in particular.


	5. Chapter 5: A Soldier Out Of Time

Chapter 5: A Soldier Out Of Time

Hawkeye was in his little nest he'd made on top of the small building. It was a simple perch, with extra equipment of all kinds all around him. Thanks to the enhanced spotting scope he currently possessed, he could see into the primary Grid itself. It was all he could do at the moment. Though he _really, really, really_ wanted to act, he knew that Tron was right. It was just too dangerous. He always had his bow-and-arrow ready, watching carefully for enemies. As he was watching, his eyes widened.

"No… Oh my God… This is it!" He whispered, before tearing back downstairs to see Tron. The two Gods and the kind Program looked up at Hawkeye in confusion.

"Hawkeye, what's wrong? You look like you just ran a marathon!" Tron asked.

"Tron, you would not _believe_ what I just saw!" Hawkeye replied breathlessly. Tron raised an eyebrow.

"I just saw the good ol' Cap… and he's in danger of being derezzed!"

Thor stood up almost immediately. Though he did not entirely understand what "derezzed" meant, he understood the tone of voice in which his archer friend spoke. Loki was intrigued, and stood up as well. Tron seemed to contemplate this, before standing up himself.

"This is it, everyone! This is the golden opportunity we've been waiting for!" He said, a hint of excitement in his voice. Hawkeye smiled.

"Is everyone with me? We're heading out to go save Captain America. Get ready, because we're going to be fighting." Tron warned.

"I am always ready to aid my friends, especially when they are in danger." Thor assured.

"I've got enough arrows to take down every Program in this place. I'm locked and loaded." Hawkeye added.

"Pfft. Those foolish mortals will never know what hit them. I am a _God_, and they are all dull creatures whose end is nigh." Loki said proudly, narrowing his eyes and smirking. Tron looked at him.

"Well, then… Let's go. Hawkeye, you want to drive?" Tron asked, shrugging Loki's snide comment off.

"Hell yeah! Let's do this!" He cheered, running down to the Light Car. Everyone followed suit, Loki and Thor sitting in the back seats and Tron taking the passenger seat. Hawkeye revved the engine, and eagerly sped off towards the primary Grid.

* * *

><p>How he was here, he was not sure. He wasn't even sure where exactly here <em>was. <em>It certainly wasn't in any of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s databases, so that eliminated any reasoning he could make of it. It was creepy, with the neon lights everywhere and the way its residents behaved like robots. They had also stripped him of his old uniform, and outfitted him with a new uniform that seemed to work better with this strange place, but was clearly still reminiscent of his superhero identity. Moments after he'd escaped the war zone he'd been thrust in, he was pursued by guards.

_No doubt because of what I learned… _He thought. He tried calling for help, but he couldn't get in touch with any of his friends, S.H.I.E.L.D. or Avengers. He had no choice but to improvise and hope for the best. And that wasn't exactly going so well. He may be good at using his indestructible shield for a weapon, but he was one man, and there were seemingly _endless_ numbers of the strange guards. The matter wasn't helped by the fact that he'd already suffered some wounds. He needed a _miracle_ at this rate.

He turned, and saw a guard about to pierce him through the head with his lance. He didn't have time to respond. He was sure that this was the end-

"Grrraaaaaahh!"

In an instant, the guard was shot down, falling into little bits and pieces. He turned sharply, and saw an old friend. Looking closer, he saw two old friends, one guy he wasn't sure who he was, and another who he was on edge about. He was relieved when they came down, and smiled at him.

"Good to see you're not under her control, Agent Barton!" He said breathlessly.

"Yea, Tron here managed to save me and get me away from the Games. But we'll have to talk later, Captain Rodgers! Thor, you go crazy with Tron out on the front lines! Loki, Cap, fall back with me so we can do our thing from a distance!" He ordered.

"Alright, I understand." Tron said.

"Very well then…" Thor said. He turned to face his opponents.

"FOOLS! YOU HAVE MADE A GRAVE ERROR IN AROUSING THE WRATH OF THOR!" He roared, calling down lightning with his trusted hammer and sending it at the guards.

"This is for our future!" Tron said as he threw his Dual Identity Discs towards the guards. The Discs sliced through several guards, whereas Thor's lightning outright obliterated others. Loki conjured illusions of the wounded Captain, himself, and Agent Barton, buying them enough time to get to safety.

"Loki, think you can heal his wounds?" Clint asked. Loki surveyed the Captain for a moment.

"It would be no trouble, but it will take a bit of time. Some of his wounds are quite large, but they are all only flesh wounds." Loki assured with a smirk. Clint nodded.

"I'll buy time by helping Tron and Thor. Just do your freaky magic thing, Loki." Clint said, turning to face the guards from his perch and pulling an arrow from his quiver. Loki couldn't resist another smirk.

"Well, at least Agent Barton is good for _something._ Now, soldier, listen to me, for I will _not_ repeat myself." He began.

"I'm listening, trickster." Captain America said coldly.

"I will heal your wounds with magic. Now, this will feel cold to you, and you will feel it as long as I am using it, but it only feels that way because it is part of the nature of healing magic. Once I have closed your wounds, I will infuse your body with one last spell that will make sure that I have not missed anything. It will feel like a rush of cold is surging through your body. Do you understand?" Loki explained, drilling out his last sentence. Steve sighed.

"Yea, loud and clear, jerk."

Loki smirked again.

"Good. Now, sit still, mortal, or I will bind you."

Steve reluctantly laid down and let the trickster god heal his wounds. He braced himself for the final surge, shivering as the cold sensation went down his body.

"Damn, you weren't kidding. That _was_ cold." Steve admitted. Loki pulled him up harshly.

"Now that you are healed, make yourself useful with that toy of yours." He ordered. Steve glared at the emerald-eyed sorcerer, but relented with a huff and threw his shield, cutting through another round of guards as if they were paper. Loki created illusions to fool the guards, grinning maniacally as they became confused by his tricks. The combined tactics worked after what seemed like an eternity. All that remained of the guards were bits that Loki would only sneer at. They soon came back together, standing in a circle.

"So, soldier, do enlighten us on your tale of your time in this bizarre realm." Loki playfully ordered, waving his hand about and narrowing his eyes. Steve growled, but sighed and relented.

"I've got some big news for everyone, that's for sure." Steve admitted, folding his arms.


	6. Chapter 6: The Crimson Flash

Chapter 6: The Crimson Flash

"It sounds like you've got a lot of information. That's good." Tron said.

"Yea, but it's not really helpful or good. In fact, some of it's bad news." Steve warned.

"Any information at all will aid us on our noble quest, friend." Thor assured. Steve took a deep breath and closed his eyes for a moment.

"It all began when I was brought into this place. I don't really know what this place is, but I have learned things that they obviously didn't want getting out into the public… for what it's worth. Everyone in this place who's a native seems to be a robot slave." Steve began.

"Hey! Tron is-" Clint interjected before Tron raised his hand.

"Hawkeye, enough. Captain, please continue." He scolded, nodding to the Captain.

"As I was saying, it's like pretty much everyone in this place is a robot slave of some sort of tyrant. I don't know who this tyrant is or how she came to power, or anything like that, but I learned why I was brought here, and, by extent, why Hawkeye and Thor were brought here too."

"And that reason is?" Clint asked.

"For her own damn personal amusement." Steve hissed.

"WHAT?!" Thor roared. Loki pulled him back, whispering something in his ear. He growled, but calmed down.

"Yea, I know how you feel, Thor. But apparently, she loves watching heroes fight to the death in her arenas. And after New York, the Avengers are pretty damn famous. She must've had the time of her life, watching Thor, Hawkeye, and me fight in her arena." Steve continued. This made Loki suspicious.

"If it is powerful _heroes_ that this mysterious tyrant is after, then why take me? I am no hero by any stretch of the imagination." Loki asked in a silver voice, very suspicious.

"I'm not sure. Maybe because you led the attack on New York, so she figured that seeing you in the ring might incite any heroes she pitted against you to go all out. Or maybe she only really cares about raw power, which, I'll admit, you've got a lot of. I'm not sure, to be honest." Steve replied. Loki smiled when he heard the last sentence, but a nudge from Thor quickly stopped that in its tracks. Then, something clicked in Hawkeye's mind.

"Where's everyone else? Tasha, Stark, Dr. Banner? You know, the others?" He asked. Steve let out a heavy sigh.

"Agent Romanoff…" Steve trailed. Clint's eyes widened nervously.

"She's alive." Steve said quickly, causing Clint to jump-hug the Captain.

"Really?! Where is she?!" He begged, looking around.

"...She's the Crimson Flash."

Thor's eyes widened in horror. Loki took a step back and muttered something incoherent, sighing and rolling his eyes. Tron closed his eyes. But Clint was clearly the most devastated. He fell on his knees, crying and slamming his fist into the floor.

"Damnit! Damnit! I knew I was right! I knew that the Crimson Flash's fighting style looked familiar! DAMNIT!" Clint cursed, crying.

_I swear on my life, Tasha… I WILL get you back! I promise, I WILL set you free, if it's the last damn thing I do! _He silently vowed, taking in a sharp breath.

"TASHA!" He yelled through rivers of tears.

* * *

><p>Within a cage underneath the Game Grid, a female Program sat anxiously, pacing and scratching the floor. She had the same lighting in her Grid Suit as the guards, indicating that she was on their side. She was heavily armed, but because of her feral, mindless state, she was kept in a cage unless needed. She hissed and growled constantly. As she paced, she heard something in the distance.<p>

"_TASHA!" _

She stopped for a moment, confused. The tone of voice that yelled sounded familiar, and "Tasha" sounded familiar too. She clawed at her cage walls, towards the direction of the yell. She wanted answers as to why it felt familiar… But she soon felt the programming of mindlessness and feral destruction reassert itself, with great force.

_You are the Crimson Flash. You are the Crimson Flash. You ARE the Crimson Flash! YOU ARE the Crimson Flash! YOU ARE THE Crimson Flash! YOU ARE THE CRIMSON Flash! YOU ARE THE CRIMSON FLASH! YOU ARE THE CRIMSON FLASH! _

She cried out in agony as the programming took control back, before returning to her feral pacing. She turned as she saw three strange armored Users in cages all their own, slumped down, unconscious. They were new, but she didn't care. She _couldn't_ care, right now. Guards approached the Users, and stripped them of their armor. The guards then got close, and small, thin tubes ejected from the backs of their hands. The tubes pierced the necks of their victims. The Users cried out in agony as the Grid Suits formed. Soon, the cries of agony ended. The Crimson Flash growled in her usual feral nature.

"Assimilation successful." One announced. In front of the cages, there stood one guard each.

"New designation: Brutus." The one standing in front of the large axe-wielder said. It imprinted immediately onto his cage and and Identity Disc.

"New designation: Dasher." The one standing in front of the medium-sized sword-wielder said. It imprinted immediately onto his cage and Identity Disc.

"New designation: Fang." The one standing in front of the smaller sword-wielder said. It imprinted immediately onto his cage and Identity Disc. The three guards turned to face someone who was obviously their superior.

"Where are the other two Users?" He asked in a monotone voice.

"They escaped, sir. The newly-assimilated ensured that they were able to flee." One replied, in the same voice.

"Begin new primary directive. Capture the escaped Users, by any means necessary. Then, assimilate as previously ordered."

The guards stiffened, to acknowledge.

"Permission granted to use assimilated Users to capture non-assimilated Users. Lethal force authorized."

The Crimson Flash growled and hissed, clawing at the walls of her cage and pacing. The guards acknowledged their orders, turned, and left the holding area, their commanding officer following suit.


End file.
